Muraska
Muraska is the capital of Djaal and best known as the City of Silk, Silver and Sin. While it hosts the largest population in any one place of 300,000 inhabitants, it is not without troubles. Fashas rule Silktown, the Spinners and the silver mines, controlling the ebb and flow of all resources within Muraska and most of Djaal. Jackals play the Game, hunting for riches within and spreading suffering. The Hounds try to keep the peace, serving as a mercenary guild and possibly the only lawbringers. Sainites and Karnerians have agreed to a truce but all it takes is one step over the Death Line to change that. Meanwhile stories of the Sun King's return spread among the humanoids (cruelly nicknamed "oids") as they seek to possibly return Boletaria to a land without humans. Geography Muraska is set in the mouth of the Dusk Sands where the land meets the Sea of Glass. It is in the middle of the most popular trading route through the Sea of Glass and to several other capitals across Starsong. The city itself is split into numerous sections based on wealth and race. Silktown is a glorious estate where the Fashas live lavishly. Oidtown is a ramshackle town divided by non-human races by the east gate. The Sumps is a slum by Harbour Wall that is practically sinking into the sea. All of these facets to Muraska surround the Meat Market, the central massive bazaar where slaves are sold like common cattle, hence the name. Outside of Muraska are the Silver Fields and River Lyre. Government Muraska has no official government but a series of guilds and factions within operating as they please. The only faction that works for the betterment of Muraska are the Hounds, serving as a police force when no-one else will. In addition because of the lawless nature of Djaal, Muraska is only a capital in name. Law & Order Each faction has their own force but the Hounds can safely say they serve Muraska as a whole. They are a militia who deal with law and order for the common Djaalic nomad or Muraskan dweller. When it came to matters of magic, the Venarium would turn their eyes towards the mere mortals below from their Tower Prime. Only then would they immerse themselves in the filth below, and they were swift to deal with supposed heretics. Typically the average Hadhar would take matters into their own hands if the Hounds could not assist. The Penitent Walk is lined with the mutilated corpses of those who succeeded and failed in doing so. Crime Crime is rampant in Muraska. The Jackals and numerous other smaller thieve's guilds thrive in the City of Sin. Punishment depended on who caught them, but it was not unusual to see public executions or public mutilations. Criminals were often dealt with by wrapping them in chains and forcing them into servitude in the Silver Fields. Jackals were to blame for nearly every heist or robbery, but lately the amount of murders and mutilations could be blamed on any one of the factions; most like those of the Khovura or Sainites. Trade Fashas rule Silktown, the silver, slaves and the flow of all gold within Muraska. While Dawnforge and Aerrune despise slavery, Boletaria relies on it. With the combination of this, Muraska might be the richest city in all of Starsong. Silk, spices, paints, herbs and materials from all throughout Djaal would often pass through Muraska. Even precious inks from sea-snails were only common in Port Morio's pools. History Locations * Port Morio * Harbour Wall * The Meat Market * The Sumps * Hountoros * Tower Prime * The Death Line * Temple Row * Silktown * Oidtown * The Silver Fields Inhabitants The Factions Muraska has always been a Djaalic city, but is warred over by many factions. The Hounds, the Jackals, the Karnerians, the Sainites, the Fashas and the Khovura. While each has their reasons for wanting to save or destroy Muraska, each find themselves in constant ambushes, skirmishes and territorial conflicts. The Hounds attempted to ease the peace between the Sainites and Karnerians by creating the Line, a region for each of them to inhabit. Now it is known as the Death Line, and all it takes is one fool to cross it for war to start again. Fashas Muraska is home to the largest contingency of Fashas who live in their walled-off community of Silktown. The Fashas are few in number, and is a term for a lord or lady so rich that they control the trade within Muraska. You will never see a Fasha roaming Muraska without a small mercenary army surrounding them. The Hadhar The native Djaalics known as the Al-Hadhar, or Cityborn, are a group of non-violent peaceful tribal folk. They rely heavily on the Fashas for work and the Hounds for protection. They make up the majority of Muraska's population as laborers and craftsmen. The Oids The rather cruelly nicknamed "oids" (short for humanoids) make up about one-third of Muraska's population, living by the east gate in Oidtown. For hundreds of years the non-human natives were the only inhabitants of Boletaria, until humans invaded it and the Conquest of the Sun King began. With the Sun King's failure, many oids retreated to the waste to continue living in tribal family-units. Those of Oidtown have either embraced civilization or try to undermine it. The Khovura are a known faction operating within Muraska who perform guerilla tactics and footwars to destroy the authority of the other factions and possibly destroy the Fashas' hold in Djaal. Notable People * Fasha Ghouka * Prime Legate Elex-Kor Culture The Hadhar The Hadhar are the city-folk of Djaal and the majority of its inhabitants. Like many Djaalics, they are a notoriously polite people. They have easy lives compared to their wandering neighbours. They never deal with the search for food, water and shelter. Like most Djaalics, they didn't believe that wars were worth fighting, and instead practiced peace, music, simple magic and healing. The Hadhar came from all walks of life, but were nobility, craftsmen, laborers and clerics. They had little respect for the Badia, seeing them as lesser. The culture itself relied on the Fashas and the Hounds to keep it alive hoping that one of the factions doesn't tear apart Muraska. The War of Red Sand Muraska is the centre of the silver trade and the most valuable port in all of Starsong. The Djaalics find themselves between the Sainites and the Karnerians who both want Muraska, as well as the Jackals who want nothing more than to grow rich. The Khovura exist to destroy all humans while the Fashas feed on suffering. All in all, the War of Red Sand is a doomed war. Notes * Silk is one of the major sources of income; it comes from horse-sized spiders known as Spinners. It is punishable by death to assault a Spinner, as the Fashas care for them closely. * Silver is the other source of income, as Muraska is one of the few places in all of Starsong where silver is readily available. *The Guild of Chains operates from Muraska. *The Jackals began in Muraska and still operate there.